Identification and recording device



June 18, E w D V S ET AL 2,204,577

IDENTIFICATION AND RECORDING DEVICE Original Filed March 6, 1935 2 Shets-Sheet 1 June 18, 1940- E. w. DAVIS ET AL IDENTIFICATIDN AND RECORDING DEVICE Original Filed larch e, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v f w g \M IMA I 5 H 1 4 w w W M A W I Patented June 18, 1940 I UNITED STATES zgoes'zr IDENTIFICATION AND RECORDING DEVICE I Elmer W. Davis, Newton Center; Mass, and Arthur H. Maynard, Warwick, R. I., assignors to Boston Wire Stitcher Company, Portland,

Maine, a corporation of Main Original application March 6, 1935, Serial No. 9,627. Divided and this application June 27,

1936, Serial No. 87,728

4 Claims.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 9,627, filed March 6, 1935, and a continuation in part of ourcopending application Serial No. 568,048, filed October 10, 1931. 5 The present invention relates to an identificationItoken for use in mercantile establishments to print or; record identifying indicia and adapted to be carried by the person or customer to be identified. I I

IIOne ofI the objects of the present invention is to provide a token of the type indicated comprising a printing roller sheathed and locked in a protective casing. I I

Anotherobjectof the present invention is to rovide an identification token of the type indicated in which the protective casing may be released from locked engagement with the printing roller only by application of the token to a machine in the custody of an authorized person.

50 [Another object of the invention is to provide an identification token of the type indicated with selective locking, means for cooperation with interengaging means on those machines only with which it is intended to be used.

it Another objectfof the inventionis to, provide an, identification token of the type indicated which is, of simple and compact structure permitting economical manufacture, and adapted to be quickly attached to or detached from the Inachine with which itis used. o f

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred form of construction of the token,by way of example, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings;

Fig. l is a perspective View of one form of token embodying the novel features of the present invention; o o

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the printing roll- [1 er of the token removed from its enclosingoas j Fig. B isa view partly in section showingthe printing roller of the token sheathed and locked] in its protective casingand about to be mounted 5 on a driving spindle;

Fig; 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the printing roller in locked engagement with the I spindle and the protective casing released from locking engagement with the roller;

l I I Fig. 5 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 showing I the printing roller withthe locking means released and the protective casing locked thereon just prior to removal of the token from the spindie; and I i I l I Fig.6 is anend viewuof the spindle.

Department stores and other merchandizing establishments having large clienteles generally furnish each charge customer with some sort of token or coin bearing indicia by means of which the customer may be identified to clerks orem- 5 ployees. With such a system in use the token is shown to the salesperson at the time of a purchase and the clerk fills out thecharge or sales slip with data furnishedby the customer.

Another more advanced method of handling. charge accounts in large mercantile establishments is to furnish the customer with a flat metal printing plate having raised characters thereon embodying indicia for identifying the holder and also adapted toIprint and record the'requiredin-I formation on sales or charge slips.I Usually, the name and address of the customeragainst whose account the goods aretobe charged, .and in some instances the number or-distinguishing symbol of,

the account, are embossedin type or characters 2i on the face of the plate. With thisIform of token the required informationImay be recorded by placing the plate ina suitable press or apparatus which imprints itsindicia on the, charge slipby means of carbon paper or an inked ribbon.

The previously used methods above described have certain disadvantages in, that the small coin-like token is easily mislaid or lost and may sometimes fall into the hands of an unauthorized and unscrupulous person. Such coin-shaped to- 6 kens are alsolikelyto be confused with currency carried in the purse or. pocketbook] and therefore are not adapted for convenient and ready use.

In the case of printing plates, these must neces- I sarily .be of relatively thin metal in order to I economize in weight and thus they are apt to be bent or broken, Moreover, such plates have sharp edges and corners which are liable to inflict injury to the hand or to tear the lining of thepurse or pocketbook in which theyare carried. p I The present invention relates generally to an improved construction of identification token which eliminates the disadvantages heretofore experienced. The novel identification token of the present invention is in the form of a small,

quick-detachable printing roller, sheathed and locked in a protective"easingso that the identifying indicia on the token cannot be observed by anunauthorized-person. The token is applied to the movable carriage of; a press and operatively connected therewith by selective means which .receive "only tokens intended therefor. I The; carriage is provided with automatically-operated means for releasing the protective casing from its locked engagement vwith the printing roller and for thereafter rotatably supporting the roller in locked engageof metal, having curved type-characters don its periphery arranged in longitudinal rows .to provide the desired indicia to be printed. The characters 4 may be provided on the periphery of the roller by embossing, soldering or molding them upon a detachable supporting element or strip adapted to be locked in longitudinal grooves spaced aroundthe peripheryof the roller in the manner disclosedin our prior application Serial No. 568,048, filed October 10, 1931, or by any other suitable method. 7

A driving collar. 5. at one end of the roller 2 may Ice-formed integral therewith or. made as a separate element and fixed thereto as disclosed in our prior application. The driving, collar 5 is recessed as at 6 to form a generally annular end- Wall I having an interior flat ledge or seat 8 and a marginal notch 9 in thee nd for selective locking or rib Ill which. extends radially from its periphery. At its opposite end. the roller is provided with a bearing collar I! of. suitable construction to be engaged .by a supporting bearing.

The printing roller, 2..is'sheathed-- and locked in a cylindrical casing. I2 to protect the type facesv facilitate theinsertiqn of theroller 2. the inner,

rim of. the open end of the casing I2.-is rounded or beveled at I4 and providedwith a plurality of spaced longitudinal slits to form yielding fingers I5. The annular-flange 'IIl'on the roller 2. is correspondingly, beveledon oneside at I6 to adapt it to slideunder the rounded or bevelededge IA. of the casing, at whichtime the fingers l5 yieldto spring outwardly away from the flange. As

"the flange I0 is engaged with the groove -I3. the fingers I5 spring back into close contact with the collar 5. The groove 43. and flange I0. preferablyencompass the driving .collart, thuama-k. ing it necessaryto expandiall of the spring-- 'fingers I5 simultaneously to free the flange Id.

and permit withdrawalof the roller 2. fromv the maybe contained in a handbag or purse.

ing material of the receptacle'in which it is normallycarried. Inithe present'illustrated embodi- F ment thecasing I2 forms a holder for an automatic pencil attachment: I1 positioned at oneend thereof. so that the token may. serve to perform 'velopes and. other media. sional application is directed to the identifica side H5 of the head.

2,204,577 if i l a plurality of functions. Although the casing is intended to be opaque to prevent fraudulent use of the token, it is to be understood that it could as well be transparent to identify the bearer without removal of the printing roller therefrom if thatty-pe of token is desired. 1 r 1 The printing roller 2 may be used in any suitable machine either handor power-operated or may be applied to use in addressing machines or the like. A novel machine of the type illustrated and described in the parent application Serial No.v 9,627, filed March 6, 1935, is particularly suitable for use in mercantile establishments in that it is small, compact and adapted for convenient manual operation to print or record indicia on sales slips or for addressing tags, en- As the present divition token, per se, only the driving spindle is and parts on the carriagev 50 of the machine.

which. directly cooperate with the token are here-' in illustrated and described.

As illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the spindle @fiis journaled in antifriction roller bearings 27 and 98 heldin bores in the'septum 95 and endwall 84 of the carriage 5t, respectively. Intermediate the bearings 91 and 98 the spindle has gear-teethv 99 formed thereon which are adapted to mesh With the teeth of a suitable rack, .not

herein. shown, to rotate the spindle when. the 5:.

itslength, as at N35, with twostepped counterbores m6 and IE1. An axial plunger m3 mounted in the spindle 96, being formed with reduced portion or shank H19 in the bore I05, an enlarged collar H0 in the counterbore Mid. and a reduced centering head I II in the counterbore llllprojecting outwardlybeyond the forward end of the spindle. The collard!!! forms a shoulder I 52 adapted to engage the shoulder: H3 between thebore Hi5 and counterbore I06, and the shank or rod Illflis of such length that its end H4 extendsbeyond the rearward, end of the spindle 95.. The endof the centering head I I I is of generally conical shape adapted toenter the recess 6 in the driving collar 5 on the printingroller 2 and is formed with a flat side M5 for cooperation with the internalflat ledge or seat 8 of the 001- lar. The head H! is slotted diametrically at II! to receive a latching lever' llii pivotally mounted ona pin H9 having itsv ends held-in the walls of thespindle 95. The pin llflextends through longitudinal slots lZd in the side: portions ofthe head II I- so'that the headmaybe slid longitudinally relatively of the spindle. The

lever US has a tapered or rounded outer end-to.

ward end of the spindle 96 there is positioned an annular collar I25 having an internal diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the collar don the-end of the printing roller 2.

Within the collar I25 is. a sleeve I 26 enclosing the centeringheadl I I'ron the plunger I08 and of To this (all such length as to leave an "annular'recess I 27 at theend of the spindle 96 for receiving the circular wall I of the collar 5 on then-printing roller 2. The collar I25 and the sleeve I26 are fixed to the driving spindle 96 forrotation therewith, by meansof radial pins I28 held in position by the projecting end of the fixed sleeve I29 of the bearing 97 which surrounds the end of the spindle. The edge I30 of the collar I 25 isbeveled or tapered on itsperiphery to engage under the inner beveled edge I4 ofthe spring-fingers I5 at the end ofthecaSingIZ. The end of the sleeve I 26 is provided -witha projection or key I3I of a contour correspondingto the contour of the notch 9 on the end of the driving collar 5 of the printing roller 2. I

A helicalspring I32 is held under compression between the end of the sleeve I26 fixed to the spindle 96 and a shoulder I33 on the plunger I08. The spring I32 normally urges the plunger head III inwardly to move the pin I23 carried thereby toward the offset end of the cam-slot I22 so that in Fig.3.

the free end of the latching lever I I8 is projected outwardly from the flat side ofthe head as shown In this normal position of the centering head III the detent-shoulder I2I -on the latching lever H8 is adapted to engage the seat 8 within the driving collar 5 of the printing roller 2 to clutch it 'tothe spindle. However,

when the plunger I08 is mbvedlongitudinally of the spindle 96 toward the outer end thereof the pin I23 in the cam -slot I22 will rock the lever II8 about the pivot-pin II9 to withdraw the detentshoulder I 2I from engagement with the driving collar 5. When withdrawnthelatching lever II8 lies within the slot II! inan inoperative posi- I the centering head III a nd the projection I3I on the sleeve I26 provide for selective locking engagement of authorized jprinting rollers with the operating mechanis'nrbf the particular machine for which they are intended. With the notched recess and internal ledge or seat 8 I axially to a position shown in Fig. 4. In this position the seat 8 on the printing roller 2 is in a position to be engaged by the tapered end of I the latching lever I I8 when the latter is projected outwardly from the centering head II'I. On the other hand, if the notch 8 is not in register with the projection I3I the printing roller 2 cannot be moved into the recess I21 to a position where the latching lever II8 will engage the seat or ledge 8. It will be understood that the machines used by different establishments will have the projection I3I on the sleeve I26 differently positioned with respect to the flat side I I of the centering head III and the authorized printing rollers carried by the persons to be identified will have their edges notched to correspond with the projections on the machine or plurality of machines with which they are to be used.

The printing roller 2 may be automatically released by the engagement of the end II4 of the plunger I08 with suitable means on the machine, such as an upstandinglug I34 on the base 23 thereof as shown in Figs. 3 and l. The lug I34 has a flat top and beveled side, being positioned on the rim of the base 23 to adapt it to be engaged by the end portion II4 of the plunger I08 when the carriage 50 is in the position indicated in Fig. 5. In all other positions of the carriage the end II4 of the plunger clears the lug I34.

drawn from the roller 2.

Normally, the end I I4 of the plunger I08 is moved outwardly from the spindle 96 by the spring I32 and with the free end of the latching lever II 8 projected outwardlyfrom the side of the centering head III, see Figs. 3 and 4. The method of operation 'of the complete apparatus is as next explained. i

As before noted, the roller 2 is used as an identification token and recording device, the department store or other commercial establishment furnishing each charge customer with one bearing suitable indicia such as the customers name and address and other particulars, if desired. As

shown in Fig. 1, the token or printing roller 2 is sheathed in the protective casing I2, being locked therein by the engagement of its radial flange I fl with the internallocking groove I3 in the casing, see Fig. 3. When the same roller is to be used with a plurality of machines in different establishments the end which projects from the casing I2 is provided with a plurality of. notchesadapted to cooperate with the projection II4 of the plunger. I08 with the lug I34 on the base 23 of the machine. The longitudinal sliding movement of the plunger I08 causes thedetent end of the latching leverIIIi to move into the slot H1 in the centering head III by the action of the pin I23 sliding in the cam-slot I22. The token 2 may then be applied to the spindle 06 by directing the recess 6 in the driving collar5 over the end of the centering head IIIand' ro-.

tating the token until the ledge or seat 8 registers with the fiat side H5 01 the head, at which time the driving collar 5 will enter the annular recess I21 in the spindle. The carriage is then moved to carry the end II 4 of the plunger I08 away from the lug I34 so that the spring I32 may slide the plunger to project the end of the latching lever H8 outwardly, whereby to engage its detent-shoulder I2I with the internal seat 8 on the driving collar 5.

During the longitudinal movement of the collar 5 into the recess I21 the beveled edge I30 of the collar I25 engages under the beveled edges I4 of the yielding fingers I5 to spring them away from the flange III to release the casing I2 from the roller 2. The casing I2 may then be with- If the driving collar 5 is not properly notched it cannot be moved into the annular recess I21 to a position where the end of the latching lever II8 will engage the seat 8; and consequently the collar I25 cannot release the casing I2 from engagement with the print ing roller 2. Each machine is therefore selective to receive only printing rollers intended for use therewith. When the proper printing roller 2 is applied to the machine it will be locked to the spindle 90 at one end; it being understood that other means. are provided for rotatably supporting the opposite end of the roller. The carriage with the printing roller 2 locked thereto is then moved through an operative stroke to cause a record to be printed on any suitable blank, the roller being rotated during the printing opera tion by the engagement of the gear-teeth 99 on the spindle 93 =Wit1ia rack lonthe machine, not herein shown.

At the completion of the printing operation the carriage 5D is movedto the=position shown in Fig; 5. In this position of the carriage, as-above explained; the latching lever H8 is Withdrawn from engagement with the internal seat 8 on the printing roller 2 by the engagement of the end 4 "of the plunger N18 with the lug IN. This engagement slides the plunger I08 axially of the spindle 96 so that the pin I23 carried by the head .I ll ofv the plunger is moved'in the cam-slot I22 to the position'shown in Fig. 5 to release the latching lever. H8 from the collar 5 on the printing roller 2. The protective casing vI2 may then'be slipped over the. roller 2 until the flange ID at' the end of thelatter is engaged in the groove l3 within'thecasing. The printing roller 2 is thus locked :in the casing i2 and may then bejremoved from the machine to again fulfill its purpose as an identificationtoken. At this juncture the machine is in "condition" to receive another printing roller which may be applied thereto in the manner as before explained. i

The token may be carried in a hand bag, pocket or other receptacle with its casing protecting the type on the printing. roller from mutilation,

while also preventing. the ink from soiling the hands:.or 'staining the lining of the receptacle in which it is placed. Moreover, the protective casing l2 prevents unauthorized use of the token,

as its indicia is held *secret,'and thus eliminates the danger of its'being used :to "defraud.

While the present device has been herein described and illustratedas embodied in a pre ferred form of construction, it is to be understood that various modii'icatim'is may be made therein and inthe manner of its use without departing iromthe spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limiting ourselves in this respect, we claim: I

1:. A- printin'g roller-comprising a cylindrical body member" having; type faces on its periphery,

and a hollow collar at one: end ofithe body member; having-an .internalflat seat and a notch at' its end" arrangedin a particular angular re lationship iorprovidingi a driving'connection andtofladapt the roller-for selective use only'with particular machinesf of a group.

2. 'A printing roller comprising a cylindrical body member. having type faces on its periphery,

and a hollow driving collar at one end having an internal fiat seat; a notchaat its end, and a radial flange omits-outer peripherya 3. A device adapted'toibe carried'on the person andappliedto a machine to identify the person and make a record comprising a casing of resilient materialhaving an open end, said casing being slitted rearwardly from the open end to form a plurality of spring-fingers, locking shoulders. adjacent the ends of the. spring-fingers, a recording 1 element receivable in 'the casing through-"its openiend to'adapt said element to be enclosedand entirely concealed in the casing,

anda locking shoulder'on the recording elementengageable by the locking shoulders on the spring-fingerstoretain the element in the easing. 7

4w Adevice adapted to be carried onthe person and applied to a machine to identify the person 'andimakea record comprising a casing, a hollow- 

